The railway also appears in the 1940 book Ember Lane by Sheila Kaye-Smith, where it is titled the Sussex Border Railway. On 16 March 2017, Rother District Council granted planning permission for the reinstatement of the line between Northbridge Street and Junction Road. Around 15 light railways were built, the Kent & East Sussex Railway being one of the most famous. Two first-class four-wheel carriages were purchased new in 1901 for the opening of the line. She has put up a poster protesting about proposed railway track extensions through her area, A train on the Kent and East Sussex Railway at Bodiam Station - part of the East Sussex Heritage Line, 'They are just big bullies who want their train set and don't seem to care what they have to do to get it. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Future developments are to include a carriage shed, loco shed and completion of the station building. It was originally opened, in 1900, as the Rother Valley Railway, with its first stretch of line running from Robertsbridge to Tenterden (the station later being renamed Rolvenden). On12th March 1903 a contract to build the Headcorn and upgrade the Rother Valley line was signed, a wise upgrade to meet a successful increase in traffic. In large part by pressure exerted by Stephens and his associates, it was decided to permit Light Railways and the K&ESR did so. This was abandoned in 1899 as it was deemed too expensive to construct, and the South Eastern Railway again backed the Tenterden Railway, but no work was done and powers to construct the line lapsed in 1901.[4]. The railway runs between Tenterden Town and Bodiam. Purchased secondhand in 1906. Assent was granted to construct the line under the Act. The initial plan was to work towards operating brake van rides on the site, but progress was slow due mainly to lack of funds. Brent Cross West [3] is a railway station under construction on the Thameslink route on the Midland Main Line. Plans to connect Tenterdens Kent & East Sussex Railway with the London-Hastings main line have finally been approved. Scrapped in 1948. THE KENT & EAST SUSSEX RAILWAY - transportsofdelight However, due to difficulties in obtaining the necessary Light Railway (Transfer) Order, it was 1974 before the line partially reopened as a heritage steam railway between Tenterden and Rolvenden. Posted by Chris Graham on 20th November 2021, The Rother Valley Railways awaiting trains from Tenterden. Then operated by the K&ESR until withdrawn in 1924 and stored. Used at the opening of the East Kent Light Railway in 1912 and inaugurated passenger services on that line in 1916. [2], The Ashford - Hastings line had originally been promoted to run via Headcorn and Tenterden, but the government preferred the more southerly route. Er zijn genoeg bezienswaardigheden om te bezoeken rond Salehurst and Robertsbridge. Once that is achieved money is in place to start the work and if everything progresses to plan the entire 14-mile route from Tenterden to Robertsbridge could be up and running in two years time. They say it could put Robertsbridge, which dates to 1176 when a Cistercian abbey was founded, back on the map. In a statement this week RVR chairman Gardner Crawley said: Their fears will be addressed as the scheme progresses and it is to be hoped that the economic benefits of the scheme will become apparent. Controversially the railway extension requires the compulsory purchase of land at two East Sussex farms Parsonage Farm at Robertsbridge owned by the Hoads and Moat Farm near Salehurst owned by the Ainslies, who have set up a Facebook page The Great Robertsbridge Train Robbery to oppose the expansion. Some of the original ten wagons were hired to the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Light Railway between 1927 and 1929. The project is to replace the missing link between Robertsbridge, a station on the Tonbridge to Hastings mainline, and Bodiam on the Kent and East Sussex Railway, a heritage railway which operates from Bodiam to Tenterden. Mrs Ainslie's grandfather Robert de Quincey bought it in 1946 after returning from three years as a prisoner of war in Burma. Rother Valley Railway - Objectives The remaining passenger traffic continued to drop and, most importantly, the profitable general merchandise traffic followed. (HD) Kent & East Sussex Railway opens to Robertsbridge K&ESR focussed efforts on the eastern end of the line. A gala weekend in 2013 saw a steam passenger train operating at Robertsbridge for the first time since the early 1960s, running up to Northbridge Street. The first train departed at 7:30 am, carrying some 60.2 passengers. Later it was able to achieve charity status, and is led by the Rother Valley Railway Heritage Trust. As with most heritage railways, the line has a number of paid employees to secure its continued operation and stages a variety of special events days to boost income. At the Robertsbridge end of the line, RVR has purchased further land since 2006 and the reconnection between Rother Valley Railway and the Network Rail main line was formally opened by Sir Peter Hendy, chairman of Network Rail in December 2016. One of RVR's directors is Richard Broyd, who founded Historic House Hotels. In 2010, the latter section was further extended to reach Junction Road. It offers an 11+12 miles (18.5km) ride through the Rother Valley in vintage and British Railways coaches usually hauled by a steam locomotive, although some off-peak services are operated by a diesel multiple unit. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Charles 'will NEVER build real relationship with Archie and Lili unless Harry and Meghan get new royal home': Sussexes 'to get Andrew's Buckingham Palace apartment' after Frogmore eviction made it 'incredibly complicated for family to visit again', 'Petrified' autistic boy, 14, at centre of 'scuffed Quran' row is forced to flee his home by arson threat - as scandal that speaks volumes about modern British policing continues to cause uproar, When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? [9], By 1924, the section from Tenterden to Headcorn was operating at a loss. The proposed Order is applied for by Rother Valley Railway Limited (RVR), working in partnership with the Kent and East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) which operates an existing heritage railway between Tenterden and Bodiam. The diminutive tank locomotives were designed to haul commuter trains on the already heavily congested lines in South and South-East London. Only track relaying and imported motive power during World War II and at nationalisation in 1948 saved it. Horse Bus - built in 1902 by W J Mercer, Tenterden Carriage Works. A familiar and friendly face on our platforms, volunteer Geoff has reached the finals of this prestigious Visit England award but only your votes can help him win. Body scrapped in 1976. Fitted with flanged wheels and tested on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. DS377, 32636, 32640, 32641, 32644, 32655, 32659, 32662, 32670 and 32678. The line was authorised to be built with 56 pounds per yard (27.8kg/m) rails but was actually built with 60 pounds per yard (29.8kg/m) rails. Three compartments plus brake. He entered into negotiations with the Southern Railway aimed at disposing of worn out stock and obtaining serviceable replacements. In Spring 2019 work began to prepare the former trackbed between Austen's Bridge and Junction Road for tracklaying, this work being substantially completed by the end of 2020. The K&ESR owned a number of non-rail vehicles, one of which survives today. The proposal to build this road was the major reason preventing the acquisition from British Railways of this section of the railway by the Tenterden Railway Company in the 1960s, and the railway land was subsequently sold off to local farmers. Operated under contract by William Hook & Son until the firm ceased trading in 1916. Fitted with a body similar to those used on buses and sent to the, A pair of railcars. Great Western Railway 0-6-0 Dean Goods War Department Nos WD195, WD196 and WD197 were used on the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway between 1941 and 1943 when rail mounted rocket guns were stationed at Rolvenden and Wittersham. In 1855, a proposed railway from Headcorn via Cranbrook to Tenterden failed to obtain its Act of Parliament. Attention then focussed on extending from Robertsbridge to Northbridge Street, and this was followed by work to recast the Robertsbridge section in readiness for the planned eventual join-up with K&ESR's track, once the necessary permissions have been obtained and construction completed. Built by the London and South Western Railway in 1892 as a 45 feet (13.72m)} tri-composite numbered 486. converted in 1909 to a brake composite. Light Railway Modelling - H. F. Stephens One batch of stock disposed of was valued at 855, but realised only 6 10s 0d. RVR chairman Gardner Crawley, 74, said: 'There's a lot of very wealthy people in East Sussex but parts of it are very deprived and the big employer nowadays is tourism. Scrapped in 1948. In 1904, the Headcorn and Maidstone Junction Light Railway was authorised. The section between Tenterden Town and Headcorn was largely paralleled by roads, and was open to competition from road transport. Bodies used to create bogie carriages in 1906. 1426 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1943. One embankment is still visible but is covered by mature oak and other trees. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA. Conceived as the Rother Valley Railway, it opened from Robertsbridge to Rolvenden station (then named Tenterden) in 1900 and subsequently on to Tenterden Town in 1903. Built in 1848 by the London and South Western railway for. The RVR also owns a steam locomotive, Charwelton, which works on the K&ESR but is currently under overhaul at Rolvenden. Renumbered 3550 in 1912 and again renumbered to 6413 in 1923. Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:49, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rother_Valley_Railway&oldid=1140748000, From 1988 until the early 1990s, another "Rother Valley Railway" had a brief existence on the site of, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:49. We will be applying for final permission now from the Department of Transport which will require an Act of Parliament. In the hop-picking season, special trains were run to bring the hop-pickers down from London. [1], By the mid 19th century, Tenterden was in the middle of a triangle of railway lines. What's for dinner? [17], Tickets were usually issued on the trains, although the K&ESR did not acquire any corridor carriages until 1944. Only the section from Tovil to Tovil Goods was ever built. That was not accompanied by an increase in passengers, and regular passenger services ceased. Mr Crawley added: "We are happy to carry out these additional studies and look forward to reassuring these consultees that it will be possible to reinstate the full length of the railway between Tenterden and Robertsbridge, with all the benefits that would bring, without any unduly adverse effects.". Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 5DG telephone: 01580 881833 RVR e-mail: . A previous attempt by rail preservationists to take over the missing Bodiam to Robertsbridge section was quashed in 1973. Spring Arrivals - Easter Holidays - Kent & East Sussex Railway Ten open wagons were purchased new from Hurst Nelson. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. It supplied a water tower located at the Robertsbridge end of the station. [11] The whole line was relaid with 60 pounds per yard (29.8kg/m) rails in 1939. Tenterden Town station is the main headquarters for the heritage railway, where a book and gift shop can be found, selling Thomas the Tank Engine gifts, the carriage and wagon department and a cafe that was once the Maidstone & District Motor Services bus station building from Maidstone, Kent. Southern Railway No 3334 loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1938 when No 4 was sent to. About Robertsbridge On 16th March, 1903 the existing Tenterden station was renamed Rolvenden and the line extended 1 miles to a new terminus at Tenterden Town. The Tenterden Railway Company is now known as The Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR), as of January 2004. The work will be financed by private benefactors and RVR says independent studies have shown that the reinstatement of RVR will bring economic benefits in excess of 2m per year to the area. kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge 31048, 31064, 31065, 31370, 31390 and 31434, On 9 January 1929, the Ford railmotor was derailed at. The work was overseen by Holman F Stephens, who was appointed general manager in 1899 and managing director in 1900. The RVR began by reinstating the first few hundred yards of line eastwards from Robertsbridge, and also a short stretch westwards from Bodiam. By June 2012, this further extension was also completed. The Rother Valley Railway's awaiting trains from Tenterden. In summer 2011 work began at Robertsbridge to extend further eastwards to Northbridge Street, which entailed the rebuilding of five bridges. As the Great War came to an end the Government decreed that the railways be re-organised into large private companies generally known as 'The Grouping'. REVEALED: Huge sonic boom felt by thousands across the country was caused by RAF Typhoon jets scrambling to DR ELLIE CANNON: My breast has not got lumps but it's itchy, should I be concerned about cancer at age 72? Supporters include Network Rail and the National Trust, which will gain a rail link to the 14th century moated Bodiam Castle. The Kent and East Sussex Railway is one of the county's top tourist attractions The railway track has been laid on nearly a third of the 3.5-mile route between Robertsbridge and Bodiam. May have carried No. This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). In 1990, the railway had to remove 200 metres of embankment damaged by badgers. Purchased by the East Kent Light Railway in 1926. All ticket stock was withdrawn and new tickets were printed, and the staffing of stations was increased. By the 1950s passengers were no longer carried on the line and . Kent & East Sussex Railway ', At the local pub, the Salehurst Halt, landlady Karen Collier-Keywood, 59, said: 'Our village has always been about community. These changes reduced the line's profitability dramatically. The order of scrapping of the locomotives was 7, 5, 6 (steam railcar), 1, 9, 2 and 8.[7]. There are some problems of subsidence outside Rolvenden, which often requires speed restrictions to avoid further damage to the line's foundations. Purchased in 1923 from Edmonds of. RECONSTRUCTING THE KENT & EAST SUSSEX RAILWAY FROM ROBERTSBRIDGE TO BODIAM The RVR Robertsbridge Junction Station site is OPEN Sundays from 10.00 to 16.00 You can get to us at Robertsbridge by main line railway. Rail mounted guns were stationed at Rolvenden and Wittersham. In 1877, the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Railway was incorporated, and powers obtained to build the northern section of the Weald of Kent Railway to transport agricultural produce and livestock from low-lying land adjacent to Wittersham Road to a better mainline connection. kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge Kent and East Sussex Railway - Wikiwand [7], On the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the K&ESR came under government control, as did most railways at the time. "An extension to the Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway from Bodiam to Robertsbridge, along the route identified on the Proposals Map, will be supported, subject to a proposal meeting the following criteria: (i) it must not compromise the integrity of the floodplain and the flood protection measures at Robertsbridge; The K&ESR was the very . The original Tenterden station, later renamed Rolvenden was some 2 miles (3.2km) from the town. There is no surviving railway track on either farm. General agricultural traffic could be considerable, but was very seasonal. Designed to serve rural villages, the railway opened in 1900 and originally ran between Robertsbridge and Tenterden. The route from Tenterden to Bodiam is 10.5 miles. The decision was taken to shut down the passenger service and retain the goods service on the old Rother Valley section only. The line was an alternative supply route to the south coast, and relieved some of the pressure on Ashford. The latter section was lifted and became abandoned in the mid 1970s. The K&ESR settled into a period of greater quietude, useful primarily to the farmers and small tradesmen in the locality, as well as those travellers who were not on a bus route. Crucially, however, the two families whose farms would be crossed by the line do not want to sell their land to RVR. Tickets for other lines under Colonel Stephens's control were also printed here.[13]. Cruise-goers reveal their most terrifying incidents at sea - from watching a ferocious 'You'll be missed forever': Elizabeth Hurley and son Damian share heartfelt tribute to her late ex Shane 'I was a bit of a mess': Amanda Abbington reveals she considered suicide after split from ex Martin Freeman Matt Hancock discussed 'deploying' new virus variant to 'frighten the pants off everyone' as former Health 'So many dead. Emma Ainslie, 45, and her husband Alexander, 45, who own Moat Farm in Robertsbridge in East Sussex, Rother District Council granted planning permission last year but, crucially, the two families whose farms would be crossed by the line do not want to sell their land to RVR. The railway emphasises the Colonel Stephens connection as a major factor of its utilitarian heritage. Southern Railway No 3440 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1940. Still in regular use in the 1930s. A charity, supported by a society of volunteers, is attempting to re-establish the railway link. 1325 was loaned in 1946 and No. The controversial 7million scheme, led by rail enthusiasts backed by wealthy and anonymous benefactors, would restore what supporters call the 'missing link' in the Kent and East Sussex Railway, connecting it with the national network on the London to Hastings line. This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 16:12. RM 2FMJAE2 - Tenterden, UK. Only 10 Terriers remain; two of which are on static display. Nos. classicsworld.co.uk, TILT Digital Agency WordPress Designers and Developers in Kent. At both ends of our railway you have so many places to choose from to eat, drink and keep everyone entertained to create a memorable day out whether you are 3 or 93! Rother Valley Railway - History Built by the London and South Western Railway Ex Southern Railway No. In 1958, Hastings Diesel Electric Multiple Unit number 1002 underwent load tests between Bodiam and Northiam the only time one of these units visited the line prior to the preservation era. Acquired in 1947. To British Railways on nationalisation and remained in service on the line. Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway. Hired or loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway. Four cattle wagons were purchased in 1904, and another was purchased in 1928. Rother Valley Railway (RVR) says it is delighted that its application for restoration of the Northbridge Street to Junction Road section of the Robertsbridge to Bodiam Reconnection Project has been approved by Rother District Council (RDC).